Autism is complicated brain disorder that is mostly characterized by impaired social interaction and communication.

Autism in children can mostly be recognized by these three symptoms: inadequate and stunted social skills, lack of communication and the delayed start of language, and by tendency for repetitive behavior.

These three symptoms all occur before a child is three years old.

Males are more likely do develop autism, with about four times as many males as females that suffer from autism.

There is still no known cure for autism.

Almost half of people that suffer from autism do not develop enough natural speech to meet their daily communication needs.

An estimated 0.5% to 10% of individuals with ASD show unusual abilities like incredible memorization or some other area of expertise, ability or brilliance that are in total contrast with the individual's overall limitations.

Autism is complex disorder that has strong genetic basis.

In case your child shows these symptoms you should have your child examined as soon as possible by specialist. The symptoms are:* No babbling by 12 months.* No gesturing (pointing, waving goodbye, etc.) by 12 months.* No single words by 16 months.* No two-word spontaneous phrases (other than instances of echolalia) by 24 months.* Any loss of any language or social skills, at any age.

In 2009 there was one rather interesting U.S. study that showed 2009 how the average age of formal autism diagnosis was 5.7 years, far above recommendations (up to 30 weeks), and that 27% of children remained undiagnosed at age 8 years.

The most common autism therapy is ABA therapy (applied behavior analysis) that is still the most recommended and the most effective treatment for autism disorders.

Many different studies have showed that children who receive intensive ABA treatments are much better prepared for social interactions, are far more likely to function well within a school, and much better prepared to meet their adult years.

More than half of U.S. children diagnosed with autism are prescribed psychoactive drugs or anticonvulsants (drugs primarily used in the treatment of epileptic seizures).

Autism treatments are very expensive. One interesting study has calculated that for someone that was born in 2000, if we take an average lifetime, costs reach a total sum of $3.66 million, of which about 10% goes strictly to medical care, 30% extra education and other care, and 60% goes to lost economic productivity of this person.